For The Greater Good
by FortitudoPhoenixo
Summary: "How could one man have such power over an angel?"   Castiel threatens the life of an innocent in order to protect the human race. Dean steps in.   One-shot, set in season 5.


**Author's Note: **Hey all! This will be my second story posted... I added in an OC for this one, so it's a little different. Song lyrics are (once again) from Metallica's, The Unforgiven II. What can I say? I'm still obsessed with that song ;)

**Disclaimer: **I (sadly) do not own Supernatural.

**Summary:** "How could one man have such power over an angel?"  
>Castiel threatens the life of an innocent in order to protect the human race. Dean steps in.<br>One-shot, set in season 5.

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><p><strong>For the Greater Good<strong>

Dean stood behind the girl, watching Castiel. The angel cocked his head at the woman before him and his eyes narrowed. He took a measured step back and looked at Dean. "She cannot be allowed to live." The girl's eyes widened and she let out a frightened gasp, stepping away from the angel and towards Dean.  
>"What are you talking about Cas? She's just a girl."<br>The angel was shaking his head. "A girl that the devil wants. Who he can use."  
>"Then we keep her safe. Away from Lucifer."<p>

The angel shook his head firmly. "I am sorry Dean. We cannot take that chance." He took a step towards her with his arm outstretched. She backed away quickly, stopping only when she hit Dean. She looked up at him. "Cas. No. You can't kill an innocent girl. She hasn't done anything!"  
>"Not yet. But she will. If Lucifer gets a hold of her it will be catastrophic." The angel paused in his advance to look Dean in the eye. "It will undo all that we have done."<br>Dean was shaking his head. "Cas…"

The angel began advancing again and the girl cowered into Dean fearfully. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. Castiel stood in front of them and she tried to wrench herself away from Dean; to escape. He tightened his grip. "No," he murmured. "If you leave me, he can catch you anywhere you run. Just stay with me…" She looked up at him again and he gave her an encouraging smile. The angel was still standing motionless across from them.

"Cas. You're not killing an innocent. _That_ will undo what we've done. You'll be just like the rest of them."  
>"Dean. It is for the greater good. If she cannot fall into Lucifer's hands, it will save a great many people."<br>Dean shook his head. "You don't know that. She doesn't deserve to die. There's nothing more to it than that."  
>"<em>Dean<em>," the frustration was evident in the angel's voice.  
>"<em>Cas,<em>" the man growled.

The traumatized girl looked in wonder from one to the other. How could one man have such power over an angel? She wondered in amazement. The angel reached for her and she flinched. Dean tightened his grip and turned so that he was between the girl and the angel. Her wide eyes met Castiel's and he stared into her soul. He could see the fear and the pain there. He could see a young woman who had fought her way through emotional traumas and physical pain. Who had fought through it all for the sake of others, even when she had no hope left. He could see goodness in her soul. Dean was right. She did not deserve to die. But that did not change the circumstances. Or the threat she posed.

He could sense the power that was buried so deeply inside of her. Power that she didn't even know existed. And he knew that Lucifer had seen it as well. That Lucifer would use her. The girl wrenched her gaze away from him, breaking his concentration. Suddenly she was just a human girl again, the power hidden away within her soul. She buried her face into Dean's jacket.

Dean shot Castiel a glare. "You're scaring her," he growled.  
>The angel shrugged. "She is right to be afraid." Dean took a step back, pulling the frightened girl with him. She was shaking against him, her hands gripping his shirt and her face completely buried against his chest. She was tucked into him, small enough that she fit perfectly beneath his chin. "You are set on saving this woman." The angel stated.<br>Dean nodded. "Yes." His answer was firm. Decisive.  
>"Then you are responsible for her."<br>"Yes."  
>"And if Lucifer should get hold of her?"<br>"He won't."

The angel shook his head at the naivety of the human. But they were all like that. They clung to hope, even when there was none. It was what fascinated the angel about them. He met Dean's gaze and blinked. This man was no normal human. This was a hunter. He had seen and done things that most of these humans could never dream of. There was wisdom in his eyes, hidden behind the mountains of pain. And fear as well. He was afraid. Perhaps he was less naïve than Castiel thought. He came to a decision, praying that it was the right one. "Then so be it. She is yours Dean. Do not allow the devil to use her. Keep her safe."  
>The hunter cocked a brow at him. Asking a silent question. The angel sighed. "I will do my best to help you. But she is your responsibility."<p>

The hunter nodded and the angel disappeared. Behind him, the girl remained where she was against the hunter's chest, knowing that he had just taken her life into his hands. He had saved her. But from the gravity of the argument, she understood that he was taking a risk. A terrible, terrible risk. Would it really be so horrible to die? For the greater good? She trembled.

She felt a finger under her chin, gently encouraging her to look up. Green eyes met her own. "S'okay," the man murmured. "He's not going to hurt you. Sammy and I, we'll keep you safe," he promised.  
>She hesitated before opening her mouth. "Is he… Is he right? Do I <em>need<em> to die?" Wide, glistening eyes met his own.  
>Dean shook his head and touched her nose gently with a finger. "No. You don't need to die. You need to stay with me for a while, until we get this all sorted out. But you don't need to die." She nodded slowly. He sounded sure. She hoped he was right.<p>

"And sweetheart?" She looked up again. "Sometimes the greater good isn't as _good_ as it sounds," he told her softly. "Sometimes we need to look out for the individual," He said the words so thoughtfully that she knew there was more left unsaid, but she remained silent. She was unsure that she wanted a glimpse into this man's mind. The man who could argue with an angel. And more than that. He could _win_… _What have you seen?_ She wondered. _What have you done and lived through, that you could stand against an angel?_

He smiled down at her softly, as if guessing her train of thought. He released her gently and stepped away, motioning for her to follow, his demeanour suddenly casual. She had a feeling that she'd glimpsed a side of him that he rarely let others see. She followed him to a vintage car, shiny black metal gleaming in the moonlight. She slid in the door he opened for her and settled herself in the seat as he started the ignition. She jumped slightly as heavy rock music began blasting from the speakers. He looked sheepish and turned it down to a reasonable level. "Sorry," there was laughter in his eyes. She offered him a slight smile and turned to stare out the window. Her life had changed today.

The song changed and he hummed along softly to the lyrics.

_Lay beside me, tell me what I've done_

_The door is now closed, so are your eyes. _

_But now I see the sun, now I see the sun. _

_Yes now I see it. _

She smiled slightly at the choice in song. Not that he seemed to notice, humming absently, fingers tapping along to the beat as he drove. She allowed herself to relax to the soothing sounds. She was exhausted. And soon she was pulled under, into the oblivion that is sleep. And she was unaware that he was watching her. His eyes closed briefly. Knowing that he had saved her. But at what cost? To never have a home. To never have a family. She was trapped in the midst of a terrible war.

_I take this key (never free)_

_And I bury it (never me) in you_

_Because you're unforgiven too_

_Never free_

_Never me_

_'Cause you're unforgiven too!_

There would be no escaping it now. Not for her.

And it was all his fault.

The guilt threatened to consume him, as it so often did. He _knew_ that he'd done the only thing he could. He could hardly let Cas kill her… But to bring her into this? Smack dab in the middle of this war? He glanced at the innocent girl sleeping beside him. She was no more than that. Barely an adult. More child than woman.

She didn't belong in his world. But here she was. And she'd had no choice in the matter. Would death have been a better option for her? Would she wish for it, before all of this was over? Dean knew that Cas would have done it humanely. He wouldn't cause her undue suffering. Maybe that would have been the better choice for her. Maybe it would have protected her from some of the things she would surely see, and possibly do, before all of this was over. So many maybes. But in the end, Dean had made the selfish decision. _He_ couldn't live with letting her die. So he'd taken the choice away from her.

The tape ended and silence descended on the car, the steady rumbling of the Impala's engine, and their quiet breathing the only things breaking it. Dean scrubbed a hand over his face as he took the next left, looking for the diner where Sam would be waiting. It didn't matter anyway. He'd made his decision. He'd trusted his gut. It was over. Too late to change his mind.

_Too late to save her_.

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><p><strong>AN: **As always, please review and let me know what you think :) Thanks for reading!


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